Protective Bruises
by acesfirefist
Summary: Belarus steps in between Russia and Prussia and ends up with more than she wanted. PruBela with some light PruLiet. Oneshot.


**_A/N:_**** I've just been in such a Belarus mood lately, and PruBela is definitely one of my favorites. This is set during the time of the Soviet Union when they all lived under the same roof. **

**_Disclaimer:_**** I own nothing but the words**.

Everything had gone so fast, Gilbert didn't know exactly what to expect as a outcome. He had decided to stand up to Ivan just this once. He would take most of the abuse he had gotten, but putting him in a skimpy maid outfit and making him walk around the freezing house in front of everyone was too far. Damn it, he had pride, and he'd be damned if he wasn't going to keep it somewhat in tact. Ivan had ridiculed, hurt, and sometimes even turned him into his own slave, all the while Gilbert had gritted his teeth together and taken it all with a turn of his cheek.

But enough was enough, and he was going to tell the Russian so.

"That's it, I'm done being your little toy t-that you can just throw around all the time!" Somewhere behind him he could hear one of the Baltics(probably Lithuania, for he was the best when it came to trying to calm down the other countries), calling out his name, trying to get him to stop, but he paid it no mind. "You think just because I'm staying under your roof you can do anything you want to me? You're wrong! Ich bin nicht dein Haustier!"

The moment he had said it, he immediately regretted it. The pipe had hit hard across the side of his head, and the last thing he saw was a fury of silky, silver hair and delicate looking navy fabric standing in between him and the other male. He could hear the familiar sound of Russian—no, it wasn't Russian, but one of it's sister languages, angry and said in loud hisses. But before he could open his eyes again, he was being carried away by a pair of strong hands and the smell of honey. He could hear a slap, and the another—the former harder— as a body hit the floor and his carrier's breath hitched. "Miss B-Belarus…" But with the sound of more angry Belarusian, he had continued on with shaking hands. It was fading, and quick, just like his consciousness, but right before he faded out, he heard the defining sound of a body being thrown against something hard and metal.

Nearly a day had passed before he woke up again, the smell of alcohol filling his lungs. No, not the kind that was safe for drinking, but the one that would be used if someone was hurt. And as he tried to sit up he realized just how bad of an idea that was. The moment he raised his head a painful throb passed through his whole body, causing him to groan in pain. "A-Ah…What the hell…" One hand reached up and touched the skin carefully, finding it wasn't skin at all, but a cloth wrapped around his head several times and soaked thoroughly with a sticky substance.

"…You're up." Came a hallow voice to his left, and it made his ears throb with every word. His head turned slowly, red eyes narrowing so he could make out the blurry Lithuania.

"Y-Yeah…" He didn't want to speak, it hurt; everything hurt, and right now he was regretting even trying to sit up. If he could just go back to sleep he would, but first, he needed information about the furious Belarusian voice that sounded so angry yet caring at the same time. "…What happened…"

Toris pressed his lips together, eyes turning to sorrow. "S-She stepped in…I-I told her not to…Oh how much she likes to worry me…" His voice was cracking, and Gilbert was having a even harder time understanding the news. "I-I-I…She's…" A pained look at the woman's room across the hall, and the albino followed his gaze. For Toris to be this choked up and nervous, the blond must have came out with more than just a few bruises and scratches, and that caused a wave of guilt to wash over Gilbert.

He looked down, eyes closing to try and ease the pain mentally and physically. "…Is she alright?"

He could see a nod from his peripheral vision as the brunette was too choked up even to answer. There were very few times he had seen Lithuania like this, and most included the harming of someone special to him. A hand placed itself onto the other's, as he gave him a crooked grin—the best he could at the moment. "She'll make it through. There's no need to worry…Nat…Nat is a lot stronger than a lot of countries even now…"

This seemed to at least calm him some as the albino worked on removing his feet from the warmth of the bed and setting them onto the cold hardwood of the floor. "W-What are you doing? You shouldn't be getting out of bed, Prussia."

"I'll be fine," Another goofy grin, even through the bruises and blood he could still keep his cocky personality. "I'm the awesome Prussia, no little—ah…" He tried to stand up, but failed the first couple times, "No little wound is going to keep me from doing what I need to do…"

"She's not awake. She hasn't been awake since her head hit against the.." This appeared to be hard for him to say, and Gilbert could understand why. "T-The…heater."

So that was what he had hurt. The old space heater in the room was more than heavy and painful, and he could only imagine how painful that would have been. He had finally managed to stand without falling over, "…Is that all that happened to her?"

He could see his hands grip tighter onto his green suit, and then a shake of his head. "H-He…Mr. Russia…He took one of her knives and…" Toris said no more, looking away with an ashamed look on his face. "I should have been there when it all started…I was stupid to pick you over Natalia's safety."

It stung some to hear him say something like that, but Gilbert knew why. One would have to be blind not to see how in love the brunette was with the woman. He acted like a puppy most of the time he was around her, and even though she had made it clear she hated him, he kept going. As he walked past him slowly, he placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to give a joke to lighten the mood. "Think about it this way…at least you're the prettiest male in the house now kesese—ahhh…" Shit, it hurt to laugh. "I'm going to go see her now."

"A-Ah…" Toris had caught a hold of the other's wrist, gaze turning to the ground, "He's in there…"

This caused something to stir in his stomach, whether it was fear or anger, Gilbert didn't know. The audacity of that man to beat not only him, but his younger sister, and then stick by her side. He clutched his fingers into fists, walking on, and Toris did nothing to protest. Maybe it was the fact that he probably wanted to confront the brute of a man as well, but didn't have the courage.

Thanking whatever being there was that the walk was short, his hand reached out to grab the doorknob, only to stop short. He was starting to fear for his life, and his mind went through the possibilities of how he could approach this. While he doubted Ivan would just give up his seat next to his little sister, he didn't exactly want to speak to her with him in the room. There were things only she needed to hear. But as soon as he had made the decision to give it a shot, the doorknob had turned on it's own, and out came the Russian man, eyes filled with more sorrow than ever. But that sorrow quickly turned to shock as they met with the other male, a stern look on Gilbert's face.

There were no words at first, just a stare between the two of them, and the fear finally set into his face that just maybe Russia wasn't done with him. As if preparing himself for another strike, he pressed his lips together firmly as the other tensed.

But there wasn't even a raising of his hand as he shifted his eyes elsewhere and began to walk towards the stairs, "…Tell her I am sorry…truly…" And just like that he had disappeared into the depths of his room, leaving him alone to face the woman behind the door. He tore his eyes from the darkness that had once held the large man to the deep red wood of the door in front of him. There was hesitation, and the moment he had opened it, his head sung. There she sat, broken, beaten and bruised with a matching gauze wrapping around her head, and a even larger one around her arm. There were several cuts around her entire face and body, and he could see the blood seeping through some of the bandages, staining her perfectly porcelain skin.

"Nat…"

"Don't." Just one word had caused his whole mind to go blank, the pain in seeing her like this clear on his face. Damn him for doing this to her. If Gilbert had any say in it, Ivan would get quite the earful from him later on. He might be their keeper and in control of their countries, but there was no reason he had to hurt someone as beautiful as Natalia. Just as he was about to turn around and leave, she surprised him, "Sit."

Silently, he did as he was told, easing himself into the chair that had been sat next to her bed. The seat was still warm, like someone had just been there moments ago, and it was then that he recalled that Ivan had probably been here for most of the night, using the same chair he was in. He tried to start again, this time, she let him finish, "Natalia…I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Her voice was weak, as if she was slowly drifting back into a unconscious state. "I did it out of my own free will…there is nothing you owe me or…or should be sorry for."

"No, no…" His hand was doing things on his own, and reached out to take hers in his lightly. "I do…if it weren't for my stupid pride…neither of us would be in this mess." While most of the time he wouldn't take the blame for things, he almost felt obligated to do so with this. After all, it _was_ his fault.

"Stop. I'm not in the mood to hear your apologies." It was almost a snap, and if she hadn't been so sleepy, a chill would have ran down his spine. "What…What do you want?"

He bit down onto his lip, keeping his attention away from her bruised and battered face and on their fingers. "To see if you were alright, of course…and to…" He stopped himself for a minute before gaining the courage to ask what he wanted to know, "To ask why you did it." The whole time he had known Belarus she had never once showed the least bit of care for him. In fact, if he didn't know any better, he would say she hated his guts. But yet, she had stood up to the man who was most precious to her for him, and that confused his sleepy mind even more.

"…" She sent him a look, and even through the black, blue and red, she still looked as gorgeous as a doll. Several more minutes filled between the two before she spoke again, this time softer than before. "…Do you want to know why he cut my arm like this?…"

It wasn't exactly a answer to his question, but he was sure she'd get to that eventually. He just nodded one time, studying her features as she turned to the stained sheets of her bed.

"He said I had become weak and that he was appalled his little sister was wearing her heart on her sleeve." There was almost a scoff from her as she moved her eyes to their intertwined fingers. "…Me..wear my heart on my sleeve…"

The expression wasn't completely lost, but what confused Gilbert the most was the reason Ivan had said such things. Usually when those words were used, that meant someone was so in love with someone else that it showed. In a sense, they were wearing their heart on their sleeve for the world to see. Wait a second…He…—"…!" The albino's face turned a bright red after he react the realization. Ivan thought Natalia was in love with him. How wrong he was. "I—euhm.."His voice was cracking and he had to clear his throat in order to speak with at least some masculinity, causing a wave of pain to rush through his pounding head. "W-Why would he say something like that?"

"Isn't it obvious?…" A twitch from her face, "I protected you from him…and you…you're the only person in this house that I don't despise with a deep passion."

"But Toris?…"

"Is nothing more than a lovesick puppy that can't get it through his thick head that I hate him."

"And Katyusha?…"

"Is nothing more than a blubbering idiot that can't even take care of herself."

Gilbert blinked once before turning his gaze down once more. "So why don't you hate me?"

She shot him a glare then, "I never said I didn't hate you. Quite frankly, I can't stand you," Gee, thanks, Princess, "But, out of everyone here, you're the closest thing I have to a friend."

A hitch to his breath, a surprised look filling his features before his usual cocky grin covered it up. Slowly, he stood, leaning his body down only enough that his lips hovered over hers. There was no fight from her, just a look he couldn't quite tell what of. "That's the nicest thing you've ever said about me, Princess." Just as he had finished his lips met hers in a brief kiss, as both parties winced at the pain of doing so. His hands found their way to hers as he pulled away, kissing every one of the fingers before giving her a smile.

The only retort from her was a blush and a turning of her head as he did so,"….You're ridiculous, little bird…"

"I may be ridiculous, but I'm not the one that got beat up because their only friend was being hurt by their brother." Another kiss to her forehead before he shifted his body some. "I'll go so you can rest." But he never made it a inch, as her arms had wrapped around his waist, keeping him there.

"No…stay with me." He turned, a look of shock on his face, for among the bruises and cuts on her face there was the prettiest smile he had ever seen in his life. "…Please. If you stay, he won't come back."

He knew it was a cover for her just wanting him to be with her, or perhaps it wasn't. Maybe the fearless Belarus wasn't as fearless as he thought she was. Either way, he would oblige, and as his body shifted in next to her, he wrapped his arms around her body,the side of her head nuzzled deep within his chest. Several more minutes passed before he spoke again, gripping onto the back of her shirt. "Bela?…."

"Hm…" Came her sleepy reply.

"Sing for me…" It was a strange request, but he had heard her humming from time to time, and like her smile, it was one of the prettiest thing he had ever heard. He was almost certain she'd refuse him though. It was enough to have her clinging to him as they rested, singing him a lullaby would probably be too much.

But how he hoped she'd say yes.

Several more minutes of silence, and he was sure she was going to reject his offer. But then the softest, more beautiful thing had hit his ears and his whole body seemed to relax. It was a flowing melody, and even though it was in Russian, he was more than pleased. His lips pressed against her forehead, and he could feel her body relaxing as well. He didn't know it then, but slowly he was falling for the Belarusian and hard.

"Hey Nat…Danke. For standing up for me when no one else would…" His tone was as humble as ever, as he tightened his grip some, the sweet mint smell of her hair filling his lungs. "It means a lot to me…"

This earned him yet another smile, but it would go unnoticed as he was slowly drifting back to sleep.

"It's no problem…Я прасачу, каб вы абаронены на ўсю вашу жыццё, маленькую птушачку." She yawned sleepily, "That…I promise…" And for the first time in ages, Natalia fell asleep with the same soft smile playing on her lips.

**Translations:**

Ich bin nicht dein Haustier - I'm not your pet.

Я прасачу, каб вы абаронены на ўсю вашу жыццё, маленькую птушачк - I'll make sure you're protected for the rest of your life, little bird.


End file.
